My first competition was today. I invited Rick like I always did but did he actually come? Probably not.
My mom took me to the rink and I met up with Coach Tremblay. We walked into the locker room and saw a lot of other girls getting ready. That's when I saw Coach Smirnoff and her 7 Skaters.
Rory Jelovich, Lacey Kawloski, Emma Ambrosia, The Williamson Sisters, my friend Tiffany, and My least favorite. Kristin Bandli.
As I was getting ready, I was overhearing Coach Smirnoff.
"The twins, Emma and Lacey, and Rory and Tiffany. All you are Duos. Go to rink four. Get practice.
The 6 girls ran out with their skates, leaving Coach Smirnoff and Kristin.
"You are best skater on team. Don't mess it up for us." Coach Smirnoff said to Kristin. "Don't let Nixon win. We practiced your flips for reason."
"You have nothing to worry about, coach. I'll meet you at the rink."
Kristin then got up from the bench and started walking my way. I walked farther behind the lockers and started to put on my skates.
"Nixon!" She called out happily. "Good luck to you!" She said. I glared at her.
"I get it, your a little rusty. But you will do just fine." She said. "You know, someone has to come last."
I gritted my teeth and stood up. Before I could do anything, Coach Tremblay came up behind me. Kristin snickered and walked away.
"You can't be starting fights, Bridget." Tremblay scolded. "You just got back from a. suspension. You don't want to get suspended again. Get ready. You have an hour."
I sighed and put my skate covers on and walked to the mirror to get my makeup done. I had already put my outfit on before on got here.
I wore a blue long sleeve shirt dress with glitter coming from my right shoulder down and across my waste. It definitely wasn't one of my favorite outfits because I don't really like glitter that much but it was whatever.
I slowly put on my makeup at the announcements for other skaters went off. I wore blue eyeshadow with black eyeliner.
Lowkey, I hated having to put on all this makeup but if it gets me extra points im totally fine with it. Usually the day after a competition, my face is usually in a rash. My family thinks i may be allergic to some type of chemical that's in makeup but it's really not too big of a deal because it goes away in a day.
When I finished my makeup, I looked in the mirror and reflected on my choreography. Since I was just getting back into the swing of things, Coach Tremblay didn't want me to over do it and fall or something.
"Kristi Bandli, 16, Skater from Eden Hall Academy. She has won the past two championships and was already given offers to join the Olympics." The lady on the Announcements said. "She stated in an interview with CNN that she wants to finish high school before Joining any big teams."
We still had time to practice on the ice and the announcer was just talking about each individual skater. I walked out whiling picking the skin from around my nails.
"Get some jumps in while you practice." Tremblay told me. "It will get the judges excited."
I nodded and handed her my skate covers. I glided onto the ice and practiced my routine a little bit like everyone else. Catching my breath, I looked up and saw my mom talking to the other parents. I looked around for my dad and found him on the other side. It's so weird not seeing my parents together in the stands anymore.
On the other side, I saw a tall man in a red letterman's jacket coming to sit next to me mom. Well look who finally showed up?
Rick smiled at me a waved. Part of me was happy that he showed but the other half new it was for pity.
It was now time for the skaters to start skating. Rick walked down and greeted me by the bleachers. "Hey princess! Bet you didn't expect to see me here."
"Rick, I don't wanna start a fight-."
"I'm not starting a fight. I'm just showing you how much of a good boyfriend I am." Rick corrected. I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever." I said walking towards my coach. "You look good!" He called out to me.
As I walked to Tremblay I could feel Ricks eyes still on me. I felt exposed in my small dress though I did wear tights.
After a few minutes of waiting, it was finally my time to shine.
"Bridget Nixon! An all time champion of the Minnesota Teens Skating Association has won multiple awards!" The announcer said. "She is finally making a comeback after two years of her absences."
I skated into the middle of the routine. The lights were so bright that I couldn't see the audience. That's what I always loved about skating. You could never see the audience so you could never be nervous. It's like skating in an empty room.
New York New York by Frank Sinatra began to play. I skated and glided around the ice ever so gracefully. My movements felt nostalgic and I was finally in my happy place. The adrenaline from when I skated back then rushed over me and I loved it.
Ice skating was the closed thing I could ever get to flying and I took it all in as a whole. It was beautiful.
I started up a few jumps again. I managed to successfully do a salchow without any trouble. Few spins and turns here and there. Confidence was all around me.
Just then, out of no where. I missed a toe jump. A toe jump. The easiest jump to do. There was no way to cover up my mistake. I was already on the cold ice. Everything froze. The first time ever, I failed. I got to cocky.
I finished my routine in a blink of an eye because momma didn't raise no bitch and I wasn't gonna skate off the ice when I fell. Unpopular opinion, skating off the ice after you fall is more embarrassing that falling.
No one in particular was laughing at me, however I could definitely hear snickers from Kristin. She's a bitch and her opinion is invalid to me so I just shook it off.
"You did good out there!" Rick said catching up to me after I walked out of the locker room.
"I completely face planted."
"You did?" He asked. I glared. "Oh right, yeah I saw that."
"You don't have to lie." I told him bluntly. "I know you were with Cole by the vending machine checking out all the other girls."
"Seriously, your gonna accuse me of doing that?" He retorted
"I'm not dumb, Rick. Why else would those girls be eyeing you up like that?" I said gesturing to two blonde girls starring at Rick. Rick turned around, smiled and waved, then fixed his gaze back on me after he saw that I kept walking.
"Bridget, wait-."
"Rick, just go play hockey, and I skate around." I then walked myself out to my moms car.
"How's Rick?" My mom asked once I got in.
"How do you think?" I snapped.
"What does your father see in the boy?"
I shrugged and leaned my head on the window.
My mom sighed. "It was one fall, Bridget. Everyone makes mistakes."
"The only time I can make a comeback and I completely fail."
"You did not fail-."
"Mom, I failed. I'm a fucking failure-."
"Don't use that lang-."
"Don't you see, mom? I can't skate! I will never be like you again. I lost it all!" Tears began to fall out of my eyes. "If I never gotten suspended I wouldn't have ever been this horrible!"
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Bridget."
"Mom, I will never get good again. It took years for me to get good. How could I become who I was before if I practically lost myself during the suspension." I cried. "I lost my friends, I lost my happy family, I lost my father, I even lost you."
My mom pulled over. "Honey, you didn't loose me. I'm right here. You didn't loose your father either, too."
"It's not the same, mom. Your different. Your not as hard on me as you were before. We both became soft after the divorce." I admitted. "Plus, dad is moving on. He was a new girlfriend with a snotty child."
I heard a sigh leave my moms mouth. "Then let's toughen up again." She said.
I wiped my eyes and looked at her. "What do you mean? How are we gonna toughen up?"
Just like that, my mom kicked me out of the car and made me chase her down the street. It was hella cold Minnesota weather and she made me run down the street in a small dress and thin ass tights.
"Mom! It's freezing out here!" I yelled as I ran.
"It's called toughening up!" My mom responded through the window. "You ain't driving home, Your running home!"